Even with a full season to prepare, Alyssa Penning just missed last year’s NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the steeplechase.

So the Calvin College sophomore tried something different this year.

Penning spent the past four months studying Spanish abroad in Spain, and had no real time at an organized practice on a track, instead training by running 60 miles a week for four months.

She thought she put in enough quality time to qualify for this weekend’s nationals at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, but she had just one chance to do it -- at a last chance meet at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., on Friday.

Fighting jet lag because she had just landed from Spain on Wednesday, and then quickly rushed to Grand Rapids on Thursday morning and another quick trip to North Central on Thursday night to make the meet, Penning lined up at the starting line Friday evening and qualified as the 10th seed with the 10th-fastest time of the season (10 minutes, 43.96 seconds) in NCAA Division III.

"My coaches (Al Hoekstra and Brian Diemer) encouraged me that I could do this, and I had doubts being away all spring that I could do it, but they kept encouraging me," said Penning, from Grand Rapids Christian High School. "The goal was to make it to nationals, but this was unexpected. During the race we had a lot of teammates watching, and the best thing was to see my teammates at every corner cheering me on. And seeing their excitement kept me going."

It was motivation she needed.

"I got off the plane (two nights) before and there is a six-hour time difference, so I had jet lag," Penning said. "And there was a lot of unknown. But the most difficult thing I did not have was a lot of speed work, and at end of the race my legs felt like Jell-O."

Cory Olsen | The Grand Rapids PressAlyssa Penning had a provisional qualifying time last spring, but didn't make the Division III national meet.

Even with Penning’s lack of speed and hurdle work, Diemer, who coaches distance and the steeplechase, had a feeling she would do something special. He just wasn’t sure how special.

And Diemer should know, as a three-time Olympian in the event and the 1984 bronze medalist.

"She was obviously fit, and had a ton of energy, and I knew she was going to run something huge." Diemer said. "But at that point, my only concern was did she do enough hurdle work to get over the barriers? She did a little, but not much. She didn’t hurdle great, her technique was not very good, but she got there on background training. She was running 60 miles a week, so it wasn’t like she wasn’t training. She was ready to give it her best, and that is what it takes."

A season ago, Penning had a provisional time for the nationals, but didn’t get in because her time did not make the top 18.

"They take 14-18 qualifiers, so I didn’t make the field last year and wanted to make it this year," Penning said. "This time was 24 seconds better than my best time ever, so I’m really excited I’m going this year."

She hoped to get in a few days to work with her teammates and Diemer before leaving for Ohio today.

"That will be good, good to run with teammates again," Penning said. "I just hope my legs recover from the shock I gave them last week.

"My hope would be to try and win it," she added. "With the atmosphere and excitement, it will be great. And the spread isn’t that great. The first-ranked girl is 20 seconds ahead of my time. With the rest, and actually sleeping this week, I think it will go well."

Diemer isn’t betting against her.

"I think she will be ready to go and focused again," he said. "I think she has a shot at placing in top eight, which is All American. The power of the mind is strong, and she is a determined woman."﻿